1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information device, and more particularly, to an apparatus for mounting a stylus pen used to input data to an information device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An information device according to the present invention is typically a portable device such as a cellular phone, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a smart phone, a smart pad, a Personal Digital Assistant PDA, etc.). Such a portable device is provided with an information input/output unit like a touch screen. A user inputs information by touching the touch screen with his or her fingers or a stylus pen. The widely used stylus pen is carried with the portable device, strapped to the portable device or detachably mounted to the portable device.
Prior art stylus mounting devices are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1999-28891, Korea Registered Utility Model No. 0148909, Korea Patent Publication No. 2010-88487, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,471.
A prior art stylus pen mounting apparatus in a prior art information device is shown with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a battery pack (in the interest of clarity, not shown) is detachably mounted to a casing 50 of a portable information device. A stylus pen 51 is inserted into or removed from the casing 50. A guide unit 52 is formed to allow insertion or removal of the stylus pen 51 into or from the casing 50. The guide unit 52 includes a plurality of guide holders, specifically an upper-end guide holder 524, an upper guide holder 525, and a lower-end guide holder 526 and a plurality of guide openings, specifically an upper-end guide opening 521, an upper guide opening 522, and a lower-end guide opening 523. The guide unit 52 is linearly extended along a length direction of a side surface of the casing 50, with the upper-end guide opening 521, the upper guide opening 522, and the lower-end guide opening 523 exposed to the outside. That is, the inside and outside of the casing 50 spatially communicates with each other by means of the three guide openings 521, 522 and 523. In addition, the upper-end guide holder 524, the upper guide holder 525, and the lower-end guide holder 526 are provided respectively beside the upper-end guide opening 521, the upper guide opening 522, and the lower-end guide opening 523, for keep the inserted stylus pen 51 secured in the guide unit 52. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the stylus pen 51 inserted into the casing 50.
Due to the nature of mold fabrication for forming the casing, the guide unit for allowing the stylus pen to be inserted into or removed from the information device is configured to have a plurality of guide openings and a plurality of guide holders.
If the guide unit has a configuration with upper-end, upper, and lower-end guide openings and upper-end, upper, and lower-end guide holders formed in the casing, the gaps between the openings and the holders are exposed to the outside and thus introduce foreign material into the casing.
Especially, water may be introduced into the casing. If an additional attachment is used to close the gaps, product cost increases and an assembly process is degraded.
In the case where a spring (not shown) is installed in the guide unit to keep the stylus pen secured stably and enable smooth insertion and removal of the stylus pen, the use of the spring also increases the product cost and degrades the assembly process.